BREAKING NEWS: Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam is Dead; Shillong Pays Tribute

Monday, July 27, 2015

Shillong, 27 July 2015 (Virthli News): Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam (83), former president of India, is dead. He was treated in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Bethany Hospital, Shillong and being given oxygen in hopes of reviving him, but the efforts sadly have proven fruitless.

Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam was here in Shillong to give a lecture on 'Liveable Planet Earth' at the Rajiv Gandhi Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Shillong, his third time as guest faculty at IIM Shillong. According to sources, the former President collapsed while delivering a speech at the institute. Following his collapse, he was immediately rushed to Bethany Hospital. Bethany Hospital, located at Nongrim Hills, Shillong, is the nearest hospital to IIM Shillong.

"He is in the Intensive Care Unit. We are examining him. We suspect that it could be cardiac arrest," said John Sailo, Director of Bethany Hospital, Shillong a few minutes ago.

The Meghalaya government has constituted a team of doctors to monitor Dr. Kalam's situation. The Indian Army has also rushed a team of doctors, according to sources. But we have learned from reliable sources that the former President could no longer be revived.

From all sources gathered, Dr. Kalam is believed to have died of a massive cardia arrest. We are awaiting Hospital reports. The government of India has declared national mourning for 7 days.

Dr Kalam -- the 11th President of India between 2002 and 2007 -- was born in Rameswaram on October 15, 1931, to the family of a boatman.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted, "Deeply saddened at the sudden demise of the former president of India Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. He was an inspiration to an entire generation."

He played a pivotal role in India's Pokhran-II nuclear test in 1998, the first since the test by India in 1974. He was known as the missile man of India.

For his achievements, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan and Bharat Ratna, and then he became the 11th President of India in 2002.

The People of Shillong Pays Tribute to Their Former President

Even before news of the the former President's death hits the social media, a huge crowd, including the press, had already gathered at Bethany Hospital, where he was admitted. Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam was one of the most recognised Presidents of the Republic of India, especially among the North-Easterners, mostly because Dr. Kalam was more of an academician than a politician. Shillong, often considered the educational hub of the North-East, has a lot of respect for academicians.

Correspondents of this news are unable to get through the crowd that had already gathered at Bethany Hospital to pay their last respects to His Excellency, the former President of India.

'Dr. Kalam was an inspiration for students across the nation. He will continue to be, even long after his death', said Joshua Darngawn, a B.Sc (Environmental Studies) student of St. Edmund's, Shillong, who was at the site.